Deluge
by valsolo
Summary: Now Complete! Jedi scientist Danni Quee is stuck on a mission with Kyp Durron during the worst storm ever!
1. Default Chapter

~*Deluge*~  
  
The rhythm of the rain pelting the roof was strangely relaxing as she lay back on the small bed and closed her eyes, soaking up the calm the storm had to offer.  
  
"I love the rain," she stated out loud with a sigh to no one but herself. For the time being, she was alone in the small cabin. Her partner would soon return--- wet, she hoped. She giggled in delight at the thought. After all she'd put up with from him over the past several weeks, seeing him thoroughly drenched from head to toe would actually be very satisfying.  
  
She rose and walked back to the window, peering out into the pitch-black night. Only when a flash of lightning streaked across the sky was she able to see anything at all. However, she knew from personal experience the dangers that lurked behind that inky veil. After all, this had been her home for over three years. For just a moment, she felt a tiny twinge of worry for her companion. He wasn't familiar with this world, and despite his overabundance of self-confidence, Belkadan could be a scary place. even for a Jedi.  
  
Just then she felt a blazing presence in the Force approaching and knew he had finally returned. Hurrying back to the bed, she plopped down, hands behind her head, and pretended to be unconcerned. The door blew open and a large, dark figure filled the entryway. Behind him she heard the steady pounding of the rain and bit back a laugh as he huffed his way into their paltry shelter.  
  
"I hate the rain!" he announced emphatically with a scowl.  
  
"Everything all right?" she questioned, trying desperately to resist the urge to burst into laughter once she saw his dripping form.  
  
"Besides the fact that I feel like a human sponge, yes, I'm all right. The perimeter is secured, and with the lead we got on them, I don't think they'll be able to find us tonight."  
  
She couldn't help it. The sight of his long, dark hair plastered to his face amused her too much, and the laughter sputtered out from between her sealed lips.  
  
He frowned. "What? You think this is funny?" he asked sardonically.  
  
"Sorry, Kyp. I--," but she couldn't finish apologizing because, by this point, she was laughing too hard at the puddle forming beneath his feet.  
  
He continued to scowl at her, gave her his fiercest frown, but it only made her laugh even harder. With a growl, he stomped toward the bed, slipping off his soaked cape as he moved, and then flung it right onto her lap. She jumped up with a squeal and threw it to the floor.  
  
"Ew, yuck!" she declared, wrinkling up her nose. The corners of his mouth lifted into a tiny smile, but it wasn't enough to satisfy him. While she was trying to dry off her pants, he took a couple steps closer and shook himself wildly, forcing any excess water to shower the young woman in front of him.  
  
"Kyp!" she yelled in protest, lifting her hands to protect her face. "Stop it! You're acting like a child!"  
  
He chuckled and offered one last shake of his head before giving in to her demand. "What's the matter, Quee?" he questioned with a hint of amusement. "You can dish it out, but you can't take it?"  
  
Danni glared at him, the typical smug grin spread across his handsome face. 'He needs a shave,' she thought and then scolded herself for paying any attention at all to Kyp Durron's appearance. He was the most arrogant, self-absorbed, abrasive man she'd ever met. She couldn't stand him, and yet here she was, stuck with him on a mission sanctioned by Master Skywalker. What had Luke been thinking? Surely, he was aware of her dislike for Kyp and his aggressive tactics, but even so he'd paired her with him for this assignment.  
  
Well, she'd do her best to make things as bearable as possible.  
  
Kyp walked away and started removing his wet tunic. "So, how are we on supplies?" he asked, suddenly all business again. It was amazing how he could switch back and forth between levity and seriousness so easily.  
  
"There were some leftover ration packs left in the storage cabinet," she began, as he turned his back to her and continued to disrobe. "We should be able to use most of them, I think." Danni tried to look away but felt compelled to keep staring when he slipped his undershirt off over his head revealing the finely tuned muscles in his back.  
  
"Yeah, those ration packs have a shelf life of what?-two hundred years?" he snickered.  
  
She swallowed hard. "Something. like. that." Just as he began to turn back around, Danni forced herself to look away, but not before catching a glimpse of his equally taut abdomen. The image was forever etched in her mind now, and it was all she could do to not gawk at him.  
  
'What is wrong with me?!' she wondered, unnerved by the reaction she'd just had to Kyp. Hastily, she went to the storage cabinet and began to recheck the contents. It was completely unnecessary, for she remembered exactly what was there, but it gave her mind a much-needed diversion.  
  
"This storm is something else!" he spoke from the window.  
  
"Yes, it is a bad one," Danni agreed. "Worse than any I remember. Maybe it's due to all the changes the Yuuzhan Vong caused with their reshaping. Belkadan is definitely not the same place I left a few years ago," she finished wistfully.  
  
And it was true. Belkadan was not the same. When they had arrived several days ago, Danni hadn't been prepared for the sight of her former home, and was shocked to see the landscape so altered. Yet there still remained a sense of familiarity, so much so that it was almost surreal, like living in a dream.  
  
Only, in her book, a dream that included Kyp Durron was more like a nightmare.  
  
Kyp walked over to the cabinet to make his own examination of the supplies. He paused next to Danni, hands on his hips, muscles bulging slightly. She made the mistake of turning to look at him as he sighed and ran a hand back through his damp hair, which was already curling on the ends. Her breath caught in her throat, and her stomach did a strage little flip as she studied the physique of the still shirtless Jedi. Finally, he noticed her staring and she looked away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.  
  
"Why, Miss Quee, you're blushing," he teased. "Does my state of half- undress rattle you so?"  
  
She snickered nervously. "Not quite, Mr. Durron." It was a lame comeback, she knew, but it was the best she could manage in her current flustered state.  
  
Kyp watched her quickly begin to rifle through several items in the storage cabinet and grinned triumphantly. "Whatever you say, sweetheart." Her head snapped up to glare at him. He just winked and then walked away in search of a dry towel or blanket.  
  
"Why me?" she muttered under her breath with an exasperated roll of her eyes.  
  
"What was that?" Kyp asked from across the room. "You're going to have to speak up if you want me to hear what you have to say. And I know that you always have something to say."  
  
"What?! What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, perturbed by his insinuation.  
  
"You know exactly what I mean. You have an opinion on everything. You even argued with me over where to land the ship-and I'm the pilot!" he stressed.  
  
"Well!" she exclaimed. "I was only trying to keep you from destroying those shrubs! They'll make excellent specimens to take back to the base."  
  
"Whatever," Kyp repeated, dismissing her explanation. "Look, Danni, I know that you objected to coming with me on this mission, that you've openly criticized my proactive stance on the Vong, and that you'd much rather be anywhere besides here with me. But that's okay," he admitted. "I'm used to not being liked. In fact, I've turned it into an art form."  
  
He plopped down on the bed and leaned back on his elbows. Something inside Danni, hormones maybe, started to surge through her veins the more she looked at him, and, try as she might, she was finding it increasingly difficult to avert her gaze.  
  
"So, now that we're both clear on the fact that you hate me--."  
  
"I don't hate you, Kyp," she interrupted.  
  
He snorted. "Yeah, right."  
  
"Really," she persisted. "While it may be true that I don't agree with all of your views. or your over-inflated ego," she added snidely, "I certainly don't hate you. And I only objected to this assignment because I could be accomplishing so much more back in the laboratory."  
  
It was true. for the most part. She had made some great strides in the development of anti-Vong technology and was anxious to continue her efforts. So when Master Skywalker had asked her to return to Belkadan to fully assess the planet's situation now some three years after the Vong conquest, she had initially declined. In addition, returning to Belkadan brought back too many memories that she preferred to keep buried deep within. Reliving her painful captivity in the hands of the enemy was something she wanted to put forever behind her. But Luke was very convincing, and so here she was.  
  
"Luke gave you the old guilt trip, eh?" Kyp asked.  
  
Danni thought about denying it, but he was right. "Pretty much, yeah," she replied with a quick grin.  
  
"I figured as much," Kyp said. "He pulled the same thing with me. Told me that no one knew these systems like I did and that he trusted me completely to keep you safe. It's hard to fight him when he gets all diplomatic like that. Must be Leia's influence."  
  
Danni's tension eased and she abandoned the storage cabinet for a nearby chair. "Leia can be very persuasive, I know." She paused and slowly surveyed the small cabin. "You know, I'm a little surprised this place is still here."  
  
Kyp sat up on the edge of the bed. "It's barely here at all," he remarked referring to the dilapidated building they were holed up in. When he and Danni had ventured into the deep jungle in this part of Belkadan, she had nearly passed by the vine-covered shack. "Considering the rest of your Ex- Gal station was nothing but rubble, I was surprised, too, to find this little outpost all in one piece. I wonder how it's lasted this long?"  
  
Danni shrugged. "Well, it's made from native wood. Maybe the fact that it wasn't metal, actually saved it from the Vong reformation."  
  
"Lucky for us," he quipped sarcastically as a burst of thunder exploded in the night sky outside, rattling the flimsy windows. Danni smiled at his comment. "That's much better."  
  
"What is better?" she asked quizzically, tilting her pretty blond head to the side.  
  
"Your face. It's much more beautiful when you smile." Danni felt her cheeks heat up again, but then he added, "And I'm not very used to seeing you smile. Now scowling, that I'm used to."  
  
She glowered at him and he snickered. "I should have known you were incapable of giving a real compliment."  
  
"Oh, lighten up," Kyp insisted as he stood and stretched his arms from side to side. "I said you were beautiful, didn't I?"  
  
Danni felt her ears heat up as her temper flared. "You are insufferable, Kyp Durron."  
  
He simply grinned. "Flattery will get you everywhere."  
  
She groaned and shook her head in disgust. "Don't you ever stop?" she asked, frustrated with his cocksure attitude. Kyp sauntered over to her, clearly aware of her discomfort at being so close to him, and his dark eyes gleamed with mischief.  
  
"Most women happen to like that particular quality in my personality." The low huskiness of his voice made his innuendo unmistakable, and, when he moved to within inches of Danni's face, she felt her heart start to race. "Give me a chance, and you could find out for yourself."  
  
Her mind struggled to form a witty reply, but those efforts were thwarted by the massive amount of heat his body was emitting. His eyes held hers locked like she was under some kind of magic spell, and she couldn't speak or pull away. She glanced at his mouth, saw it drawing nearer, and her lips practically throbbed in anticipation of meeting his.  
  
At that very moment, the room went black. They were enveloped in darkness and both froze in place.  
  
"What-wha--." Her question was stifled by his large hand, which had clamped over her mouth.  
  
"Shh!" he demanded with an urgent whisper in her ear. "Listen." Kyp slowly removed his hand once Danni became still.  
  
Focusing all her attention on listening was proving difficult since the only thing her body seemed to be aware of was his body now lightly pressed up against her. Emboldened by the cover of night, she looked straight at him, knowing he couldn't see her, not caring that she couldn't see him. In her mind she saw him clearly enough. Broad shoulders, strong neck, well- defined chest. he was all man, which was both his best and worst quality, Danni mused.  
  
She had to stop this silliness.  
  
"What are we listening for?" she asked softly after several long moments.  
  
"I think we're okay, but I just wanted to make sure our 'friends' hadn't found us. I didn't sense anything out there, so it must just be the generator," he explained stepping away from her. She immediately missed the nearness of him, and was shocked at herself for being so ridiculous.  
  
She heard him moving around the small shelter and in a moment, a glowlamp shed some light on their current predicament. He walked back to her and shoved the light in her hand. Then he turned and moved to put his wet tunic back on.  
  
"Guess I'll go take a look at that power generator," he said, grabbing a toolkit from one of their supply bags. He retrieved the glowlamp from her hand and headed for the door.  
  
"I'm coming with you," she announced following behind him. He stopped and shined the light in her face.  
  
"Just stay here. This shouldn't take long." Again he turned to go, but she didn't give up.  
  
"Need I remind you that I'm a scientist?"  
  
Kyp paused and shined the light at her again. She grimaced and brushed it away.  
  
"I also spent over three years on this planet, helped build this outpost, and I just so happen to be the one who installed that generator." She thrust her chin up in a defiant pose, sure she had put him in his place.  
  
But instead, he laughed.  
  
"Well, then, that explains why it's not working right."  
  
Danni growled and snatched the toolkit out of his other hand. "You can hold the light for me," she called back over her shoulder as she walked out the door.  
  
Stunned and amused, he followed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	2. Part Two

~*Deluge: Part Two*~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So, you think you can fix it?"  
  
"Of course I can," Danni answered. "Astrophysics may be my main area of expertise, but I'm also well-versed in engineering. Now hold that light still so I can see."  
  
Kyp rolled his eyes even though his intended target wasn't looking. She was up to her elbows in the broken power generator while the storm raged on around them. He didn't think it was possible to be more soaked than he was right then. The rain was coming down in sheets, lightning flashing violently in the night sky more often than not. It was a deluge.  
  
He turned his focus to watching her work. She seemed to know what she was doing, much to his surprise. Before this mission, he hadn't known Danni Quee very well. They'd had limited encounters since Jacen Solo had rescued her from Helska 4, and he hadn't been too interested in pursuing any further relationship with her. After all, she was a highly trained scientist, as she so often reminded him, and not the type of woman he was usually interested in. She was too stuffy, too soft, and too snobbish.  
  
At least, that's what he used to think.  
  
Now, after spending the last few weeks in her company, he had a different perspective on the young Jedi scientist. She wasn't too stuffy. He'd seen a bit of a silly side to her, and loved when he could say or do something to make her laugh. The sound of it was contagious. As for being too soft, well, he had changed his mind on that one as well. During one of their longer space flights, he had asked her to share her memories of Miko, his former apprentice with whom she had been imprisoned. She had hesitated at first, but gradually opened up revealing strength and a compassion he didn't know was possible. As for the snobbish part, the verdict was still out, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was mostly just a ruse to guard her insecurities.  
  
Kyp had grown fond of their verbal sparring. She was very intelligent and quick-witted, so when he was able to get the upper hand he never hesitated. Making her blush was just as enjoyable, if not more so, than making her laugh. When he noticed her staring at him earlier, the blush that showed on her face seemed to nearly cover her from head to toe. He could practically feel her attraction to him, even though she'd never admit it. No, she was much too proud for that. But she certainly was in dire need of a good kiss. And so what started out as an assignment he was dreading, was turning into much more than he would have ever imagined.  
  
"Finished yet?" he asked, knowing it would aggravate her. She paused her fidgeting and turned to glare at him. He simply shined the light right in her eyes. "What?" he said innocently as she put her arms up in front of her face.  
  
"Will you please just hold the light still and stay quiet?!" she pleaded sternly. "It's hard enough doing this in the dark and the pouring rain, but I don't need you blinding me with that blasted light on top of everything else!"  
  
Kyp bit back a grin. "Settle down," he urged calmly. "No need to get yourself all worked up."  
  
"I am not worked up!" she declared, her fists clenched at her side.  
  
"You sure about that?"  
  
She snorted and then spun back around to continue her work. Kyp chuckled lightly as he listened to her mumbling underneath her breath.  
  
The minutes passed by slowly while the rain continued to pour. Danni was making little progress, but refused to give up despite Kyp's assurance that he wouldn't make fun of her. Now they were both silent, each doing their job while struggling not to think of the other.  
  
Then he felt it. A tiny surge in the Force, almost imperceptible. then another. He glanced down at Danni who was still immersed in the generator. Apparently she didn't sense anything, so he listened again. Maybe he'd been mistaken.  
  
His head snapped to his left then his right, and he squinted trying to see anything he could. He had sensed something. two somethings, to be precise.  
  
"Kyp, will you please hold the light steady?" Danni insisted, peeved that she had to halt her progress yet again.  
  
"Danni," Kyp said, his hand going instinctively to the lightsaber clipped to his belt. Whatever was out there was coming closer.  
  
"What, Kyp?" she answered angrily. He took a step back and bumped into her.  
  
He reached back with his non-saber hand and grabbed her arm. She barely saw the flash of his lightsaber blade before he pushed her to the ground.  
  
"Kyp!" she yelled as her backside made contact with the muddy ground. When her eyes lifted she could only see flashes of what was happening because Kyp had abandoned the glowlamp to attend to other pressing matters. The illumination from his saber was the only light now, but she didn't need to see anything to know what he was fighting. The piercing yowl of the red- crested cougar was a sound she would know anywhere.  
  
"Danni, get inside!" Kyp shouted as he lunged out of the path of the pouncing predator, barely avoiding its deadly claws.  
  
She clumsily scrambled to her feet, her escape hindered by the slippery mud surrounding her.  
  
"Go now!" Kyp ordered again, and she hastily made her way for the door. She was almost there, almost safe inside the cabin, but just as her hand reached for the door, something large and heavy slammed into her back and propelled her to the ground face first. Another familiar yowl shattered her ears and then she felt the cougar's claw slash through her shoulder.  
  
She screamed in agony and prepared for the next cut she was sure would come. But instead all she felt was the relief of pressure as the big cat's weight left her back. She pulled herself up into a sitting postion. In a blur, she saw Kyp's violet blade slash back and forth across the animal's body, the sound of its shrieks ringing in her ears. After several more strikes, the cougar collapsed to the ground in a bleeding heap. Kyp stood over it breathing heavily, the rain pouring down his head. He powered down his weapon and then turned his attention to Danni.  
  
"You okay?" he asked as he offered her a hand. She grabbed on and let his strength pull her to her feet. He noticed her wince and clutch her shoulder. "No, you're not okay."  
  
"What. what about the other one?" she asked referring to the second cougar, nervously looking around for any sign of it.  
  
"It's gone. back into the jungle, but it's got a nasty hole in its side that will keep it out of commission for awhile. Let's get you inside," he urged softly placing a hand on her back.  
  
"The glowlamp," she muttered hanging her head, "we'll need it since I didn't fix the generator."  
  
Kyp knew she was probably bordering on shock, so he stepped around the dead cat and retrieved the lamp for her. She took it from him and then walked closer to the downed animal. Holding the light so that it shined on the cougar, Danni studied it for several seconds without saying a word.  
  
"Do you know what it was?" Kyp asked moving up behind her.  
  
She nodded her head only once. " A red-crested cougar. I think," she said uncertainly. "At least it used to be. These protrusions here by the head and down here by the heels are not typical. They remind me of Vong physiology, though. Whatever they did here has affected everything. I'm sure whatever didn't adapt was wiped out."  
  
She continued to stare at the animal for so long that Kyp finally took her arm and led her back inside. By the sound of her scream earlier, he knew she was wounded and needed immediate medical attention.  
  
All around them, the storm raged on. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	3. Chapter Three

~*Deluge*~  
  
Part Three  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kyp maneuvered Danni over to the bed and set her down gently.  
  
"Now, let's see what we have here," he said as he sat down next to her and held the lamp closer to her back. Her shirt was ripped and bloodstained, and it was hard to tell how deep the cut went. As carefully as he could, he examined the wound trying not to cause her anymore pain. She had already surprised him by not bursting into tears like he expected.  
  
"How bad is it?" she asked softly, looking back over her shoulder.  
  
"It's hard to tell," he replied honestly. The lack of decent lighting and the condition of her clothing was making it difficult to diagnose the severity of her injury. "You're going to need to get out of that shirt so I can really see what shape you're in."  
  
Danni jerked around and glared at him. "I don't think so!"  
  
Kyp shook his head. "This isn't a time for modesty, Danni. You're injured, and as long as you stay in those wet clothes, I'm not going to be able to tell how badly you're hurt."  
  
She kept staring at him in silence, a frown etched on her pretty face. It almost made him laugh out loud.  
  
"What?" Kyp said, feeling a bit self-conscious under her stern gaze. "Oh, come on! It's not like I'm trying to pull some sleazy move on you or something. I'm just trying to help." Nothing but more silence answered him, so he tried again. "Believe me, I have better lines than 'take off your shirt'. Give me a little credit!"  
  
Finally, Danni sighed and conceded to his instructions. "Okay, but turn your head."  
  
Kyp rolled his eyes but did as she said. He could sense her struggling and heard her whimper in pain a couple of times. For a minute, he thought to turn around and offer his assistance, but he stopped himself, sure she'd never accept.  
  
So he waited.  
  
"Um, Kyp?" she muttered after a few more tries.  
  
"Yeah," he answered.  
  
"I, uh.," she paused, "I can't seem to get it off. My shoulder hurts too bad."  
  
He heard the embarrassment in her voice and struggled not to make a smart- alec remark. Now was definitely not the time. Setting the glowlamp down on the floor by his feet, he turned back to help her.  
  
Leaning down by her ear he questioned, "You have another shirt in your bag, right?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Good," he stated. She felt him grab the back of her shirt by the collar, then felt and heard the fabric rip as he jerked his hands in opposite directions. Danni gasped when she realized what he had done and modestly clutched the front of the garment to her chest.  
  
"Well, that took care of that problem," Kyp announced. "Now let me take another look at that cut."  
  
He moved the lamp up on the bed beside them to better examine his patient. The wound itself was not too severe and had luckily already stopped bleeding. No doubt it would hurt for a while, though. Using a bacta patch, he made quick work of tending Danni's shoulder, but let his hand linger for a few extra seconds on the soft, warm skin of her back.  
  
"Are you finished?" she asked looking over her shoulder. Some of her long blond hair had escaped from its damp braid and was hanging in loose tendrils along her cheeks and neck. With only the limited light, her face was shrouded in shadows, and Kyp was suddenly overcome with desire for her. He quickly jerked his hand away and stood up, embarrassed by the depth of his feelings. Attributing it to the excitement of the evening, he dismissed any thought of what he had just been fantasizing about.  
  
"Um, yeah. all done," he said shyly turning away.  
  
"Thank you," she offered with a smile. "It feels better already. Bacta is a wonderful thing."  
  
Kyp hastily gathered up the leftover supplies and put them back into the medkit. "You were lucky. It wasn't as bad as it could have been."  
  
"It wasn't luck," she argued causing him to stop and look at her. "It was you. You saved my life, Kyp."  
  
He was speechless for a moment. Her face was wearing an expression, which had never been directed at him before. It was a combination of gratitude, respect, and something else he couldn't quite put a finger on.  
  
"Hey, no big deal," he said nonchalantly with a smirk. "It's what I do."  
  
Danni laughed out loud and another wave of desire washed over him. This was getting out of hand, he told himself. He had to quit thinking such thoughts.  
  
She finally stood and faced him. "I'm going to clean up and get a new shirt."  
  
He blushed. "Sorry about that. I guess I owe you one."  
  
"That's okay," she replied with a twinkle in her eye. "I've seen your taste in clothes and I think I'll pass."  
  
His eyebrows shot up in astonishment as he studied her grinning face. Her smirk told him she was just teasing, and that gleam in her eyes was enough to make him want to kiss her--- hard and long.  
  
With one hand carefully holding the remains of her top in place and the other holding their only light source, Danni headed for the tiny refresher leaving Kyp completely in the dark. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The door to the refresher closed behind Danni and she stood motionless in the middle of the tiny room. It was an absolute necessity for her to gather her scattered thoughts after the crazy events of the evening. In addition to being mauled by a vicious wild animal, the feelings Kyp Durron had elicited from her over the past hour were enough to throw her mind and heart into a tailspin.  
  
First, he'd driven her crazy, as usual, with his arrogant, self-assured behavior. Then something about him had flipped the switch to her sensuality, that part of her that had been lying dormant for all of her adult life. Relationships that leaned toward the romantic had been off- limits to her, by her own personal decree. Her career with Ex-Gal had taken first priority and the rest was something for later in life.  
  
Was now really later?  
  
When the cougar had attacked her, the frailty of her life had rushed to the forefront of her mind. If it had killed her, who would be left behind to mourn? Her mother, of course, but after that it would only be a handful of close friends who would miss her. No one special. no one who was just for her.  
  
Then, there came Kyp, swooping down on that predator with a vengeance. He'd saved her. thought of her safety before his very own. What did that mean? Was he just 'doing his job'? Or was it more? The way he had gently tended her wound, the feel of his warm strong hands on her shoulder, it was all too confusing. She needed this time alone in hiding to clear her head. Surely she wasn't actually considering Kyp as anything but a nuisance.  
  
Shaking her head, she began pulling out a dry change of clothes, determined to not let such foolish thoughts continue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Not wasting any time, and needing a diversion for his wayward thoughts about Danni, Kyp busied himself around the cabin. Using the light from his lightsaber he was able to find some spare firewood buried beneath a pile of other items in a corner and spark a nice blaze in the small fireplace. He pulled a blanket from the bed and spread it on the floor, then stretched out and stared into the flames.  
  
Kyp Durron did not do relationships. of any kind.  
  
He'd lost his parents when he was young, been imprisoned in an underground mine until he was sixteen, surviving on his wits and charm alone. When Han Solo had rescued him, he'd been overwhelmed with the possibilities presented to him. Unfortunately, he fell prey to the Dark Side, killed thousands of people, not the least of which was his own brother. Plus, the fact that he'd nearly killed Luke Skywalker didn't endear him to anyone else in the galaxy. So he had lived a rather secluded emotional life, which had been just as he preferred. Once upon a time, he'd envisioned himself happily married with a family of his own. Now he accepted that as an impossibility. No woman in her right mind would want to bind herself to one of the galaxy's worst mass murderers of all time. And he was okay with that.  
  
Until now.  
  
The closest Kyp had ever gotten to a romantic relationship was the confusing whirlwind of emotions he'd experienced related to Jaina Solo. For a time he had entertained the notion of him and her as an 'item'. However, that thought had passed, and rightfully so since she was now happily linked with Jag Fel, a man Kyp deemed worthy of his friendship and respect. After he'd purged Jaina from his system, he had sworn off romantic entanglements for good.  
  
Now here he was having fantasies about a spitfire of a scientist who could care less if he lived or died. Her IQ was probably twice his own, he snickered. No way would she ever be interested in him. What did he have to offer? Absolutely nothing, and so he pushed any thoughts of Danni Quee to the back of his mind and decided to stop being a fool. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Some time later Danni reentered the main room and was pleasantly surprised to find a fire blazing in the small fireplace.  
  
"I had forgotten that was here," she announced.  
  
Kyp turned from his resting place on the floor in front of the fire to watch her walk into the room. Her long wavy hair hung loosely all about her shoulders and shimmered like gold in the firelight. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her beauty. This was going to more difficult than he thought.  
  
"How did you get it started?" she asked lowering herself gracefully onto the floor across from him.  
  
"I found some firewood, tossed it in, and through the magic of my lightsaber-voila! I made fire!"  
  
"How manly of you," she teased, amused by the male pride in his answer.  
  
"Yes, well, I am quite masculine," he played along, puffing out his chest.  
  
Danni laughed out loud and couldn't stop herself from taunting him further. "Oh, really? I hadn't noticed."  
  
Kyp frowned. "Funny, Quee. Real funny," he replied with a straight face. In actuality, he wanted to laugh too, impressed with her quick and witty response. "So, what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" he asked in a lame attempt to spark a conversation.  
  
"That's your better line?" she replied with a grin, wrapping her legs into a crossed position.  
  
Kyp chuckled lightly. "Yep. I'm afraid I'm too tired to think up anything else. I thought we might at least try to enjoy each other's company since we're stuck here for the night."  
  
"I've been stuck with you for the past few weeks, Kyp. Haven't you enjoyed my company yet?"  
  
It was meant to sound snide and sarcastic, but instead came out flirtatious. Kyp studied her face aglow from the firelight, not sure how to respond. Did he tell her that right now there was no place else he'd rather be? It was hard for him to admit it, but he loved being with Danni. And her apparent frustration with him only made him more interested.  
  
"It's had its good moments," he said nodding his head slowly. Danni looked away shyly, and Kyp tried again to strike up a meaningful conversation. "So, what made you want to come all the way out to this place. here at the edge of the galaxy? Was it a good place to meet guys?"  
  
Danni snorted and rolled her eyes. "That wasn't quite my motivation." Kyp could feel the tension leave her as she settled in more comfortably by lying down on her side, propped up on her elbow, hand behind her head.  
  
"No, I wanted to be like my mother," she began to explain. "She was a brilliant astrophysicist and fed my hunger for knowledge about space. Instead of dolls and fancy clothes, she bought me the latest telescopes and scientific equipment." She noticed Kyp staring at her and felt a bit self- conscious. "Yes, I was an odd child. kept to myself a lot of the time. had my head in the stars, I suppose."  
  
Danni paused and lost herself in the memories. Kyp, anxious to hear more, urged her to continue. "What about your father?"  
  
Danni sighed and crinkled her nose. "He wasn't around much. They separated when I was young, and after that I didn't see him very often. He was too wrapped up in his job to pay much attention to me, although he did help fund my education. I don't hold a grudge against him, though. My mother and I had a good life together."  
  
"So what made you want to join Ex-Gal?" Kyp asked mirroring her position. He noticed the dreamy look that flashed in her eyes and thought her more beautiful than ever.  
  
"Have you ever wanted to be the very first person to do something?. discover something? Well, that is what I wanted. To be the first person to discover life beyond our known boundaries." She lowered her head and snickered. "I guess I achieved my goal, wouldn't you say? Only now I'd give anything to take it all back."  
  
Silence fell between them as each remembered the many friends who had lost their lives to the Yuuzhan Vong invaders. Miko, Wurth, Anakin, Jacen. the list went on and on. Kyp needed to lighten the mood.  
  
"But just think, if things hadn't happened like they have, you wouldn't be sitting here with me right now having the time of your life." To top it off, he offered her a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows to which she laughed softly.  
  
"True," she relented. "I don't think our paths would have crossed otherwise. I would still be here on Belkadan looking out into space and you-what would you have been doing?" she asked, truly curious.  
  
The question took Kyp by surprise and he had to think of an answer. "Hmmm. good question," he admitted. "I'm not exactly sure. I'd still have my dozen, I suppose. Still be tracking down outlaw smugglers and bringing justice to the universe." He traced the stitches on the blanket with his finger as he continued to contemplate the possibilities of a life without the Vong. "And no matter what, I'd still be considered the biggest pain in the ass the Jedi order has to offer. Of that, I'm positive."  
  
Danni noted his wide grin and had to smile as well. "I won't argue with you there," she added. "That seems to come naturally to you."  
  
Kyp glared at her teasingly, loving the banter between them, falling deeper under her spell as the seconds ticked by. "And to think, this whole time I was certain you didn't even have a sense of humor. Now you just seem to be making joke after joke--- and all at my expense."  
  
"You make it so easy," she harassed.  
  
"Anything for you, sweetheart," he drawled.  
  
Their eyes locked for just a moment, long enough for something deep yet unspoken to pass between them, and then she looked away, clearly shaken.  
  
"Um, are you hungry?" she finally asked without looking at him. "I'm starved!" She stood up and ran her hands through her golden mane.  
  
"Yeah, I could eat something," Kyp answered, jumping up ready to change the subject as well. "It's been awhile since that last tasty ration pack we had for lunch."  
  
Danni chuckled nervously and headed for the small kitchen area, desperate to get away from Kyp and his penetrating brown eyes. One glance into their smoldering depths and she'd become instantly aware of how much she wanted him. Her emotions were whipping into a frenzied storm. It was something she didn't know quite how to deal with, so she did the only thing she knew to do-run away.  
  
Once in the kitchen, she retrieved two ration packs from a storage cabinet. Her hands were sweaty and trembling slightly making it difficult to open the packs. Gritting her teeth, she kept trying to rip the seals but was having no luck. A flash of lightning exploded right outside the nearest window making her jump and let out a little screech.  
  
"You okay?" Kyp asked from near the fireplace.  
  
She took a deep breath and calmed her racing heart. "Yeah. I just can't seem to get these stupid things open," she stated.  
  
Before she knew it, Kyp was behind her, his presence undeniable. "Here. let me help."  
  
She slowly turned around finding him mere inches away from her. His unshaven face and unkempt hair made him all the more appealing to her at that very moment as they stood face to face. She held out her hand to offer him the stubborn ration packs, but couldn't take her eyes from his. Time seemed to stand still and Kyp reached out to take what she was giving. However, instead of taking the packs, he decided to take something else.  
  
His let the backs of his fingers lightly brush the side of her face, satisfied when he heard her quick intake of air and felt her cheek lean toward his hand. She was so unbelievably soft that he couldn't take his hand away, and instead cupped her face in his large hand, holding her gaze prisoner to his. Thunder rolled across the sky and a new down pour began outside. At that moment, he didn't care that she was a renowned scientist who was too good for the likes of him. All he cared about was that she was with him and he was going to kiss her.  
  
His other hand moved behind her neck and still she didn't object. Kyp took that as a good sign, and then lowered his mouth to hers. The feel was pure heaven. The kiss started out light and apprehensive, neither one believing what was actually happening. But soon enough, caution was thrown to the wind and Kyp had her backed up against the wall holding her as close as he possibly could. He kissed her over and over, passion growing with every touch, and when she made little sounds of pleasure, it only spurred him on. He moved to ravage first one side of her neck and then the other, moving back often to her soft, waiting lips.  
  
"Kyp," she said breathlessly as he continued to lavish her with kisses. He could only lift his head for a moment and growl in response. His life had been too empty. It was time to make a change.  
  
"Kyp," she said again, still not pushing him away. "I need to tell you something," she managed to say in the midst of his lips moving on hers. Finally, he paused and pulled back to look at her.  
  
"What?" he asked in a husky whisper. "What do you need to tell me, Danni?" No matter what it was, he didn't think it could dampen the mood of the moment. He noticed how flushed her face was and how beautiful she looked having just been thoroughly kissed like she needed.and he needed it, too. Force, did he need it!  
  
"I-I just want you to know that I-" she struggled to get the words out once he resumed nibbling on her ear. "I want you to know that I still don't like you," she managed to declare weakly. She heard the low rumble of his laughter in her ear and sighed in ecstasy, returning to his strong neck some of the kisses he had given.  
  
"Yeah," he whispered, "I can tell."  
  
Then he swept her up in his arms and headed toward the blanket in front of the fireplace. When he reached his destination, he bent his knees and deposited her carefully on the floor. Her eyes never left his, but she didn't say another word. He sat down beside her and tilted her chin up with his finger, placing another long, sumptuous kiss on her perfect mouth.  
  
"Danni," he said softly. She looked up into his eyes awaiting his words and he knew she would be his. "I don't like you either."  
  
His lips pressing down upon hers muffled her laugh, and as he pulled her down on the blanket with him, the storm outside raged on. 


	4. Chapter 4: An Alternate Ending

~*Deluge*~  
  
I originally intended the last post to be the end, but then I had this brainstorm. So, you as the reader, choose which ending you prefer. Enjoy!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Danni?" Kyp asked as he tried to nudge her awake. She made no sound or move to wake, so he tried again, a little harder.  
  
"Quee!" he practically yelled into her ear. He saw her jolt from her slumber and stifled a chuckle. "Wake up!"  
  
Finally, Danni began to stir. "Good morning," she purred without opening her eyes. Then she stretched her toes and rolled over letting her hand come to rest on the pillow next to her, expecting to find a warm, firm, male body lying close by.  
  
But it was empty.  
  
At that instant, her eyes shot open and the empty spot beside her left her completely bewildered. She sat up and saw Kyp standing over the bed, fully dressed and ready to leave and continue their mission. She looked around the small cabin taking in every detail, but it didn't make any sense. No ashes remained in the fireplace from the night before, and the overhead lights were on, clearly proving that the generator was alive and kicking.  
  
What-what's going on? she asked herself.  
  
Then she glanced down at herself, and the confusion only escalated. She was fully clothed and wearing the same clothes she had worn yesterday- including the shirt Kyp had ripped to tend the cougar cut on her shoulder.  
  
At that thought, her hand went to the wound and brushed it lightly expecting to cringe from the pain-but there was no pain. There wasn't even a mark. It was as if last night had never even happened.  
  
"My-my wound," she muttered massaging her arm.  
  
"What?" Kyp asked. "What wound? Are you hurt?" He brushed her hand aside and took a cursory glance at her back but found nothing. He straightened back up and shook his head. "There's nothing on your back."  
  
"But the cougar. it slashed me across the back," she started to explain with a frown on her face.  
  
Kyp narrowed his gaze and studied her face carefully. "What cougar? You're freakin' me out, Quee. What are you talking about?"  
  
"The storm knocked the generator out last night, and, while I was trying to fix it, a couple of red-crested cougars pounced on us. You fought them off but not before one slashed me."  
  
One of Kyp's eyebrows lifted in interest as he listened to her story. Instead of replying, he urged her to continue.  
  
"Then we came inside, you ripped my shirt off so you could tend my cut." At the mention of that last detail, Danni turned away, her face blushing from embarrassment.  
  
"Go on," Kyp said. "This is getting better by the minute."  
  
She took a deep breath and kept talking. "Well, then you built a fire in the fireplace and-and," she paused.  
  
"A fire in the fireplace, eh?" Kyp snickered. "Sounds awfully romantic. Now let me guess what happens next. You're overcome by my blatant male sensuality and I carry you off to bed and make mad, passionate love to you all night long."  
  
He caught the surprise on her face and knew he'd hit the nail on the head. "I was right, wasn't I?!" he crowed. She refused to look at him, and he couldn't contain his laughter any longer. "You don't have to answer that. It's written all over your bright red face."  
  
She slunk back under the covers and pulled them over her head. "None of it happened, did it?" she mumbled from underneath her fabric shield.  
  
"Unfortunately not," Kyp lamented sarcastically as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the blanket off of her. She forced herself to look at him, images of her vivid dream flashing through her mind. Kyp took her hand in his, that roguish look gleaming in his brown eyes. "But we could make all of those dreams come true."  
  
The suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows was more than she could take. She jerked her hand from his and quickly maneuvered her way around him and jumped off of the bed.  
  
"It's okay, Danni. You're not the first female to fantasize about me," Kyp boasted playfully leaning back on his elbows.  
  
"Oh, please!" she groaned, looking hurriedly for her pack so that she could flee to the refresher.  
  
Kyp chuckled and continued to taunt her. "And besides, I've been fantasizing about you since we started this mission." That stopped her dead in her tracks.  
  
"You have?" she asked softly. He stood up and sauntered over to her. To his surprise, she didn't back away or smack him when he got close.  
  
"Of course I have. What man wouldn't? You're quite a woman, Quee."  
  
"I-I am?" she said, looking up into his handsome face.  
  
"Yes, you are," he stated firmly. "You're intelligent, funny, and so sith- forsakenly beautiful that it hurts." He gently pushed a stray lock of her curly hair behind her ear, sending a shiver of delight down her spine. She felt her heart rate increase and her head begin to spin as Kyp's mouth was heading slowly but surely for hers. It was apparent that at any second, Kyp would be kissing her, and after her dream of last night, once he started, he wouldn't stop.  
  
Just as his lips were mere centimeters from hers, she pulled away. "So, um, what really happened last night?" she asked returning her attention to her pack. Stunned, and a bit perplexed, Kyp stood frozen in place wondering what had gone wrong.  
  
"Uh, well," he began trying not to show his deep disappointment, "when I got back to the cabin from securing the perimeter you were sound asleep on the bed. You must have been really tired because you slept all night." He paused for minute and then chuckled. "Only I suppose you did more in your sleep than just rest."  
  
Danni shot him a look to kill before blushing and looking away again. Kyp shook his head in amusement. Just knowing the Jedi scientist had dreamt about him was enough to make his day. Yes, this mission was getting better and better.  
  
"Well, enough playing around, Quee. Your wild fantasies will just have to wait. We have a mission to complete. You have twenty minutes to get ready and then we move. I'm going out for some fresh air."  
  
Danni watched him turn and leave. all business again. He was so frustrating--- and so unbelievably sexy. All of those sensations from her dream came flooding back and she felt herself heat up from head to toe. How was she going to make it through another three weeks with this man? If things kept going like they were, well--- she was afraid to even think about what would happen.  
  
But she could always dream.  
  
~* The End? *~  
  
. 


End file.
